Dynamic WHL blueliner leads the Top 24-and-under Sabres players and prospects Tier VI

With the 2024 NHL Draft less than two months away, let’s see how each of the Buffalo Sabres players and prospects aged 24 and under stack up against one another. This series will be broken into six distinct tiers, with today kicking off Tier VI, comprising those ranked 21st through 24th. As the series progresses, we will unearth the following:

• Tier V (Players ranked 17th to 20th)
• Tier IV (Players ranked 13th to 16th)
• Tier III (Players ranked 9th to 12th)
• Tier II (Players ranked 5th to 8th)
• Tier I (Players ranked 1st to 4th)

The criteria are that each player involved in these rankings must be part of the Sabres system, they do not need to be signed with the organization, and most importantly, they must also be aged no older than 24. They also don’t need to be facing the ultimatum for general manager Kevyn Adams to sign them or to let them walk in free agency. 

Buffalo Sabres Top 24-and-under prospects and players Tier VI

Now that you’ve caught the gist of how this series will work, one more thing to know is that following the NHL Draft and free agency, we will revisit this list and come up with new rankings. This is because when new players are drafted, they may supersede some of those listed, especially in the lower tiers. 

There is always a chance the Sabres acquire someone 24 and under, and the fact that Kevyn Adams may opt to not sign a few of the names listed in this pre-draft series. And still, a couple players listed will have “aged out” between now and then, though that’s not the case in Tier VI. So, now that we’ve gotten the basics out of the way let’s rank our Top 24-and-under prospects and players in the Sabres system. 

24: Ethan Miedema, W/Kingston Frontenacs 

Ethan Miedema was an intriguing selection when the Sabres drafted him thanks to his NHL-ready size, even if he won’t be seeing NHL ice for a while. Like another player to be discussed later, Buffalo snagged him in the fourth round. And while he didn’t necessarily break out this season with the Kingston Frontenacs, Miedema still managed a serviceable 41 points and 18 goals in 68 regular season contests.

The feat was a career-high for the winger in a full season with one team - he split time in 2022-23 between Windsor and Kingston and put up respectable numbers that year as well. That said, Kingston wasn’t a great team this season, so that could be one reason for Miedema’s inability to increase his production despite managing an adequate 0.602 points per contest. 

It’s also worth pointing out that Windsor may have been a better overall fit for Miedema than Kingston, but the latter is the place he finds himself in. Consistency will be key for the 19-year-old heading into 2024-25. And if he overcomes struggling through a pedestrian performance or two for every good game he has, there is a good chance he will sign for the 2025-26 season. 

Miedema is one player to watch closely in 2024-25 if you’re a Sabres fan and simultaneously into junior hockey. The stakes are growing as he enters his fourth full season in the OHL, and there is a chance the AHL is waiting for him in 2025-26 if he gets it together across a 68-game slate.  

23: Scott Ratzlaff, G/Seattle Thunderbirds

Scott Ratzlaff found himself in a timeshare during his first two seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds, seeing time in the crease for 22 contests and posting a respectable 0.904 save percentage, a shutout, a 2.48 GAA, and a 17-2-0 record in 2021-22.

We saw more dominance in 2022-23, with Ratzlaff appearing in 34 outings and recording five shutouts, a 2.15 GAA, a 0.918 save percentage, and 25 wins. It was a remarkable increase in productivity from Year 1 to Year 2, but the Thunderbirds were also one of the best, if not the best, teams in the WHL, winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2023, just one year after losing in the Final to the Edmonton Oil Kings. 

So Ratzlaff played well, but the test wouldn’t come until this season when the Thunderbirds clearly weren’t the same team. This caused Ratzlaff, who played in 52 games, to see his numbers fall. He posted a 3.33 GAA, a 0.905 save percentage, one shutout, and just 21 wins. 

But when you consider that the Thunderbirds went from first to nearly the worst in the WHL, it sheds some light. They were one of just two teams - the other being the Kamloops Blazers - to score under 200 goals. With 260 goals allowed, they also had a tough time stopping opponents in their own zone. 

With what was in front of him, Ratzlaff still managed a respectable 2023-24 outing, and it should set the stage for a much better 2024-25 season, even if he faces the same challenges.

22: Maxim Strbak, D/Michigan State

We didn’t see much of Maxim Strbak’s two-way game at Michigan State this season, but as a freshman, it wasn’t unexpected. Strbak did show off his ability to contribute in the World Juniors when he logged six assists and a goal for Slovakia in five games, so we know he will bring such play to the college ranks. 

The 19-year-old’s 6’2, 190-pound frame is already intriguing, and it also contributes to his strong defensive play. He’s not afraid to force opponents into second-guessing themselves, and he’s got a grittier style, something Scott Wheeler of The Athletic takes a deeper dive into. 

Strbak’s two-way ability will eventually translate to the North American game, as it was something we saw during his 2022-23 campaign with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede when he scored five goals and contributed 13 assists in 45 regular season outings. 

Even in the event that Strbak’s points-producing play in the offensive zone doesn’t translate during his time at school, he’s still aggressive enough to play a rather physical game. He will only continue to grow throughout his college career, so Strbak should evolve into an imposing blueliner over the next few years. 

That fact alone should entice Sabres fans to keep tabs on him, and he will either join the Blue and Gold at some point - likely in 2027 or 2028 - or he will become a good asset to package into a trade.